The Kofi Annan Foundation (KAF), in partnership with MCW Global and the Africa Alliance of YMCAs (AAYMCA), has launched an international call for tenders seeking an experienced External Evaluator to conduct the final independent evaluation of the groundbreaking Sawa Project: Youth Leadership for Mental Health in Eastern Africa.
This consultancy presents a unique opportunity for evaluation professionals, monitoring and evaluation specialists, mental health experts, and youth development practitioners to contribute to one of the region’s most innovative youth-led mental health initiatives.
Funded by Wellcome, the Sawa Project is a 21-month pilot programme focused on empowering young leaders across Eastern Africa to advance mental health awareness, advocacy, service access, and community-driven solutions.
The selected evaluator will play a critical role in documenting achievements, assessing effectiveness, capturing lessons learned, and helping determine the future scalability and sustainability of the initiative.
Application Deadline: 17 July 2026 (23:59 CEST)
About the Sawa Project
The Sawa Project: Youth Leadership for Mental Health in Eastern Africa is an ambitious regional initiative designed to strengthen youth leadership in addressing mental health challenges throughout Eastern Africa.
The project is implemented through a strategic partnership involving:
- Kofi Annan Foundation (Switzerland)
- MCW Global (United States)
- Africa Alliance of YMCAs (Kenya)
The initiative receives funding from Wellcome and runs until 31 October 2026.
Countries Covered by the Project
The Sawa Project operates across six Eastern African countries:
- Kenya
- Malawi
- Rwanda
- Somalia
- Tanzania
- Uganda
The programme focuses on empowering young mental health professionals, advocates, and community organizers to become catalysts for change within their communities.
Why the Sawa Project Matters
Mental health remains one of the most pressing yet under-addressed public health challenges in many African countries.
Young people frequently encounter barriers such as:
- Mental health stigma
- Limited access to services
- Insufficient awareness
- Weak policy support
- Inadequate funding for community-based interventions
The Sawa Project was designed to tackle these challenges by investing directly in youth leadership and locally driven solutions.
Through leadership training, mentorship, advocacy support, networking opportunities, and seed funding, the initiative aims to strengthen youth-led responses to mental health challenges across the region.
Core Outcomes of the Sawa Project
The project was designed around five key outcomes.
1. Strengthening Leadership and Advocacy
The programme seeks to strengthen 30 young mental health professionals and community organizers by enhancing their:
- Leadership skills
- Advocacy capabilities
- Community organizing competencies
- Public engagement skills
These capabilities enable participants to support communities in understanding and addressing mental health issues more effectively.
2. Supporting Action-Oriented Change
The project equips participants with practical planning and implementation skills that enable them to transform innovative ideas into real-world initiatives.
Participants learn how to:
- Design projects
- Develop implementation plans
- Mobilize stakeholders
- Execute community interventions
3. Building a Sustainable Regional Network
The programme aims to establish a long-term network of young mental health leaders across Eastern Africa.
The network is expected to:
- Facilitate collaboration
- Encourage peer learning
- Promote knowledge exchange
- Strengthen regional advocacy efforts
4. Funding Grassroots Mental Health Solutions
Through a competitive seed grant mechanism, the project supports ten youth-led initiatives focused on mental health solutions.
These initiatives are expected to generate measurable impacts among beneficiaries and serve as models for future interventions.
5. Influencing Policy and Funding
The project also aims to increase awareness among:
- Policymakers
- Government authorities
- International donors
- Development agencies
- Civil society organizations
By highlighting youth-led mental health solutions, the initiative seeks to contribute to meaningful policy and investment shifts in the mental health sector.
Purpose of the External Evaluation
The independent evaluation serves several important purposes.
Accountability
The evaluation will provide accountability to Wellcome regarding the use of resources invested in the Sawa Project.
Learning and Knowledge Generation
The evaluation will identify:
- Successful approaches
- Operational challenges
- Best practices
- Lessons learned
that can inform future programming.
Evidence for Future Expansion
The evaluation findings will help determine whether the project model should be:
- Replicated
- Expanded
- Adapted for other contexts
Key Evaluation Objectives
The selected evaluator will be expected to:
1. Assess Progress and Achievements
Document:
- Achievements
- Challenges
- Lessons learned
- Areas requiring improvement
2. Measure Effectiveness
Determine the extent to which the project achieved its intended outcomes.
3. Analyze Project Strategies
Review approaches, methodologies, and implementation mechanisms used by project partners.
4. Evaluate Outputs
Assess both the quality and quantity of outputs produced under the project.
5. Examine Policy Influence
Evaluate the project’s effectiveness in influencing:
- Policymakers
- National authorities
- Donors
- Civil society organizations
6. Develop Strategic Recommendations
Provide recommendations regarding:
- Future programme design
- Operational models
- Sustainability strategies
- Expansion opportunities
Evaluation Standards
The evaluator will assess the project using internationally recognized evaluation criteria, including:
- Relevance and added value
- Efficiency
- Effectiveness
- Impact
- Sustainability
- Learning and adaptation
Evaluation Methodology
The evaluation will combine several research approaches.
Documentary Review
The evaluator will review:
- Project Terms of Reference
- Interim reports
- Meeting notes
- Seed grant reports
- Advocacy materials
- Additional project documentation
Stakeholder Interviews
Interviews may involve:
- KAF project staff
- MCW Global representatives
- AAYMCA representatives
- Wellcome’s Lived Experience Team
- Policy recommendation consultants
- Project beneficiaries
Focus Group Discussions
Online focus groups may be conducted with:
- Youth leaders
- Seed grant recipients
- Advocacy participants
- Other relevant stakeholders
Given the geographic spread across six countries, most consultations will take place virtually.
Trauma-Informed Evaluation Approach
A critical requirement of the consultancy is the use of:
- Do-no-harm principles
- Trauma-informed methodologies
Because the project addresses sensitive mental health issues, special care must be taken to ensure participant wellbeing during data collection and analysis.
Deliverables
The evaluator will produce several outputs.
1. Work Plan and Evaluation Matrix
A detailed methodology document of no more than eight pages outlining:
- Evaluation framework
- Key questions
- Stakeholder engagement plan
- Timeline
2. Draft Evaluation Report
A preliminary report will be submitted and discussed with project partners and the donor.
3. Final Evaluation Report
The final report must:
- Be written in English
- Include an executive summary
- Present evidence-based findings
- Provide actionable recommendations
- Remain under 25 pages including annexes
4. Presentation Slides
The evaluator will prepare a presentation package suitable for:
- Senior management
- Foundation leadership
- Donor briefings
- External stakeholders
Consultancy Timeline
The evaluation assignment is expected to require a maximum of 20 working days.
Key Dates
- Application Deadline: 17 July 2026
- KAF Decision Notification Target: 31 July 2026
- Contract Finalization: Mid-August 2026
- Kick-Off Meeting: Early to Mid-September 2026
- Evaluation Start: 28 September 2026
- Draft Report Submission: 13 November 2026
Application Requirements
Applicants must submit:
- Motivation Letter (maximum 1 page)
- CV (maximum 2 pages)
- Sample Evaluation Report (if available)
- Financial Proposal in USD
- Three Professional References
The financial proposal should clearly indicate:
- Daily consultancy rate
- Number of working days
- Travel costs (if applicable)
- VAT (shown separately)
All costs must be fixed and expressed in US dollars.
Application Deadline
17 July 2026 at 23:59 CEST
Only complete applications submitted before the deadline will be considered.
Shortlisted candidates will be contacted directly by the Kofi Annan Foundation.
Why This Consultancy Is Worth Considering
For experienced evaluators, this assignment offers an opportunity to contribute to a high-profile, donor-funded initiative tackling one of the most important public health challenges affecting young people today.
Beyond conducting an evaluation, the selected consultant will help shape future strategies for youth-led mental health programming, influence policy discussions, and generate evidence that could guide investments in mental health interventions across Eastern Africa for years to come.
📧 Apply: HR@kofiannanfoundation.org
Learn More
- For more information about this opportunity, Click here
- More global Job opportunities for youth, visit the OFY website: Click here
